Casting directors form a collective to fight the infamous couch syndrome plaguing the Indian film industry
Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; January 20, 2018)

On Wednesday evening, a host of Bollywood’s top casting directors joined hands to form their first official collective. The association will function as part of Indian Film and Television Directors’ Association (IFTDA), which currently governs directors across film and television domains. Shruti Mahajan (casting director for Pad Man, Padmaavat), Mukesh Chhabra (casting director for Bareilly Ki Barfi, Shubh Mangal Saavdhan), Jogi (casting director for Pink, Poster Boys, October), Vicky Sidana (casting director for Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety, Aiyaary), Honey Trehan (casting director for Manikarnika: The Queen Of Jhansi, Fukrey Returns) and Abhishek Banerjee (casting director for Toilet — Ek Prem Katha, Pari) met at IFTDA’s office to discuss the nuances of the association and its functions.

Privy to the meeting, BT was witness to the first form being filled by Shruti Mahajan. The idea to have a separate body was tabled by Mukesh Chhabra, who along with IFTDA’s Executive Committee Member Ashoke Pandit, chalked out the plan to get the association in motion. They came up with a plan of sweeping the industry clean of casting couches, after several casting directors complained of facing the heat from producers, actors and directors due to fake agents, who exploit aspirants by way of bogus casting calls on social media and other spaces.

BEWARE OF BOGUS CALLS
“Just how many times are we expected to tweet or write on our social media pages that we are not casting for some project as claimed by someone? It’s annoying and time consuming to explain to people that it’s a fake account, created to sexually exploit men and women. We are in the process of writing to all the filmmakers to inform them about the collective. We want to tell them that by working with a member of this association, they are only ensuring a secure environment, their interests in terms of casting are well-looked after and the person they are working with, comes with technical know-how of the job,” says Mukesh.

Shruti, seconding Mukesh, adds, “We want to underline the fact that it’s a fully functional, independent and crucial department of filmmaking, which demands its share of respect and dignity of labour. Yes, an actor is cast according to a filmmaker’s requirements, but even they wouldn’t deny that a lot of the work goes in getting an actor to be a part of the film. We also want to send out a a message that we are not junior artiste suppliers or agents who send across girls or boys on random demands by a filmmaker. Today, when we get calls for casting from a lesser-known filmmaker, our only way to check his or her credentials is through the association. We want the same clarity for our profession. This way, people who don’t have a standing in the market or are bogus casting directors misguiding youngsters, are flushed out of the system.”

The initiative to cleanse the industry’s work stream has been supported and welcomed by nearly every casting director in the business. The association is expected to be functional from early next month after all the paperwork is duly completed.

“We are seen as competitors, but in reality, we are friends, secure in our individual spaces. It’s important that everyone in the business, including the filmmakers, become aware that we’re not enemies battling each other. That’s another reason that has brought us together. Also, collectively, we can fight, not only the menace of casting couch, but various casting related issues far better. Filmmakers, actors and even aspirants come to us with so many grievances. We can now pool them all together and try solving them like a team, instead of doing it individually. At least 250 acting aspirants come to this city every day. Now they can be secure in the knowledge that there is an association they can go to, if they face a problem with a casting director. No one can eradicate a menace 100 per cent, but together we can make the effort and crunch the problem to the minimal,” says Honey Trehan.

‘TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE’
Jogi, seconding Honey, points out that there are collectives of casting directors in every industry around the world, and it’s high time that the Hindi film industry also has one of its own. “It’s important to work cohesively, particularly on eradicating menaces like the casting couch. Individually, we can’t fight this problem. Now, we can even form a system, which enables work distribution, grooming of new talent and more opportunities created for the newer members, and bring it the kind of respect that every other craft in the industry has,” he says.

However, according to the Competition Commission of India (CCI), no association in any industry can force anyone to work only with its members. The decision to work with any individual or a group must be an individual’s (or a company’s) own. In that scenario, wouldn’t the casting agents, who are not part of the association, create a ruckus if and when they are denied entry on a project?

Pandit explains, “By creating an association, we are not forcing anyone to work exclusively with the members of the association. We are just ensuring that filmmakers and actors are aware that there is a collective they can approach to address issues related to casting. If they work with someone from this association, they know there is a platform for them to address grievances related to a member. But if they choose to work with someone who is not from this association, and he or she indulges in any fraudulent or suspicious activities, they shouldn’t accuse the entire industry of running a casting couch.”